Let's face
it, buying a car today is one of biggest expenditures that you will make.
We all want the purchase to go smoothly and for there to be no problems.
But, is the car that you are about to buy really what it seems?

The car
may well be stolen, even if the seller has the log book in his hands.
It may have been written off by an insurance company and bodge-repaired
so that it can be sold to some unsuspecting buyer. It may be a car with
another set of number plates on it. You could end up losing lots of money
if you do not check it carefully.

Would it
not make sense to run a car data check before parting with thousands of
pounds? When you realise too late what sort of car you have bought, the
seller, if a private individual, might just quote "caveat emptor" at you
(let the buyer beware).

Suppose you buy a stolen car and only find out about its history after
you have paid money to the thief. It does not matter that you may have
bought it in good faith. Ownership always rests with the person from whom
it was stolen. The thief cannot pass on good title to you because the
thief did not have good title himself. You will have to give the car back
to the owner and ask the thief to give you back you money. Needless to
say, don't hold your breath.

Perhaps
you were considering a car and were told that it was an Insurance Category
E total loss. A private seller is not be obliged to tell you if you don't
ask, but if you are told, how would you respond?
Would you still buy it?

NEWS - STOLEN BATCH OF VRD'S - source: Daily Express
The DVLA has admitted that up to 9,000 VRDs have been stolen and are missing.
The serial numbers begin AP or AN. If you buy a car that is accompanied
by a false VRD then you may not become the legal owner. It is very possible
that it could be a stolen car. If so, the police, or the true owner, will
take it away from you. Naturally, these are not the only VRDs that have
ever been stolen. There are plenty of crooks out there ready to take advantage
of honest people like you.

Is it not
prudent to get a car data check before you buy it? For an insignificant
fee (compared to the amount of money you are about to spend on buying
a car) you can have the following checks done for you -